Photograph-display cabinet



(No Model.) Y Q H. W. POTTEIGER & W. A. KOHMAN.

PHOTOGRAPH DISPLAY CABINET.

No. 521,668. Patented June 19, 1894.

WITNESSES:

A NE I 770/? rs I UNITED STATES PATENT Ornron.

HENRY W. POTTEIGER AND WILLIAM A. KOHMAN, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

PHOTOGRAPH-DISPLAY CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,668, dated une 19, 1894.

Application filed April 16, 1894. Serial No. 5 07,710. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY W. POTTEIGER and WILLIAM A. KOHMAN, of Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Photograph-Display Cabinet, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to a photograph display cabinet or album, and it has for its object to provide a photograph album in the form of a cabinet or casket, and a means whereby the photographs contained therein may be conveniently carried to avertical position for display, and whereby when the photographs are not being viewed they will be compactly located within the casket, cabinet or other form of casing employed.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a simple, durable and economic mechanism whereby any one of the photographs contained in the cabinet or casing may be brought to a position for display, by simply pressing a button or operatinga conveniently placed lever.

Theinvention consists inthe novelconstruction and combination of the several parts, as willbe hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. t

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved display cabinet open and in condition to display the pictures contained therein. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the cabinet, illustrating pictures in display position, and the mechanism for manipulating said pictures. Fig. 3 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 2, illustrating the cabinet closed and the pictures concealed from view. Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation of one of the leaves upon which the pictures are mounted; and Fig. 5 isa detail perspective view of one of the manipulating levers.

In carrying out the invention the cabinet A is preferably of box-like construction, and is provided with a hinged front 10, capable of being dropped down to a substantially horizontal position, and a top 11, which may be raised and supported in a vertical position when desired. Within the box casing at the back, parallel partitions 12, are located, the upper edges whereof are inclined to a greater or less extent as shown in Fig. 2, and at or near the upper edge of these partitions the pivot pins 13, located at the side edges of leaves or cards 14., are pivoted,the said leaves or cards being adapted to receive the pictures, which may be photographs or other works of art. Each leaf or card 14: is pro vided with an arm 15, firmly secured thereto at a point between the pivots 13, the position of the arm 15 of each of the sheets or cards being different. Adjacent to the forward edge of the partitions 12,a shaft 16 is journaled in suitable bearings contained within the easing, and upon this shaft a number of cams 17, are pivotally mounted, the cams corresponding in number to the number of cards or sheets let contained in the cabinet. The cams are preferably of segmental shape, each being provided with a concentric slot 18, and a recess 19 at one end of the slot, preferably the upper end. The cams are held in what may be termed an upright position throughthe instrumentality of springs 20, one spring being secured to each of the cams and to a fixed support in front of the cam, located for example upon the bottom of the cabinet, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, Each cam is connected with an arm 15 of one of the boards or sheets let through the medium of a link 21, and it is evident that the links are of dilferent length, since the arms 15with which they are to connect are located one above the other, that being the arrangement of the leaves.

In connection with each cam a lever 22, is employed. These levers are fulcrumed preferably upon one shaft 23, located near the front of the cabinet, being supported by suitable hangers or brackets 24. The levers 22, extend forward and rearward of the shaft upon which they are mounted, and terminate at their forward ends preferably in a knob 25, while the rear end of each lever is provided with a lip 26, the said lip being adapted to enter the slot 18 of a cam and likewise the recess 19 in the upper wall of the slot. A stop 27, preferably in the nature of a bar is carried over all of the levers near their forward ends, and the levers are held in substantially a horizontal position through the medium of springs 28, attached to them near their inner ends and to a fixed support beneath the levers.

In operation, when the photographs, or sheets carrying the photographs are forced down to a horizontal position, or are made to lie within the cabinet, the lowest sheet will rest upon the stop 27, as shown in Fig. 3, and the arms 15 of the various sheets being carried upward will draw thelinks connected with them in the same direction; therefore, the cams 17 will be rocked in a rearwardly (IiIQC'.

tion, and the upper ends of the cams will be so depressed that the lugs 26 on the levers 22 will enter the recesses 19 in the cams, as shown in Fig. 3, holding the cams in their rearwardly inclined positions, placing the springs 20 connected with the cams under tension at the same time. The cover may now be closed, the front panel having previously been shut. \Vhen the pictures are to be displayed, the cover is opened and the front panel dropped, and by pressing upon the levers 22 the lever pressed will disengage its lug 26 from looking engagement with the cam connected with it, and the spring 20 attached to that cam will immediately act to restore the cam to the upright position shown in Fig. 2, which movement of the cam will cause the sheet 14 con nected with it to be brought to the upright or display position.

This cabinet is exceedingly simple and economic in its construction, the photographs or pictures when not under inspection are protected from dust or injury, and when a display is desired the pictures may be brought to an upright or display position expeditiously and conveniently, and in the order desired.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a display cabinet, the combination, with a casing, and a series of leaves adapted to contain pictures, pivoted in the casing one above the other, of cams pivotally mounted upon a shaft, links connecting said cams one with each leaf at its pivot end, a spring exerting tension upon the cam in a given direction, and levers having locking engagement, one with each cam, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a display cabinet, the combination, with acasing, a series of leaves pivoted therein, and arms projected downward from the pivot portion of said leaves, of a series of cams of substantially segmental construction, pivotally mounted in the casing below the pivots of the leaves, the said cams being provided with longitudinal slots and a recess at a predetermined point in the wall of the slots, a link connection between each cam and an arm of one of the leaves, a spring attached to the end of the cam with which the link is connected, and exerting tension on the cam in a direction opposite to that of the link, and levers located one in front of each cam, said levers being provided with lugs adapted to enter the recesses in the cams and lock the cams in a predetermined position, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a display cabinet for photographs and other pictures, the combination, with a casing, leaves or boards pivoted at their lower ends in the casing, one above the other, the.

line of pivots being arranged upon an inclined plane, arms projected downward from the pivot end of the leaves or boards, and cams pivotally mounted within the casing, beneath and in advance of the pivots of the leaves, each cam being substantially oval and provided with a concentric slot and a recess at the upper end of the slot, of a link con- I necting each cam with an arm of one of the leaves, the said links being pivotally connected with the lower rear portions of the cams, springs attached to the lower forward portion of the cams and exerting tension thereon in a forwardly direction, and a series of levers pivotally mounted in the casing, one lever being located in front of each cam and provided with a locking lug adapted to enter the recess in the cam, as and for the purpose set forth.

HENRY W. POTTEIGER. WILLIAM A. KOIIMAN. \Vitnesses:

CAMERON E. STRAUSS, C. H. SCHAEFFER. 

